Interesting, overlooked, and significant obituaries from around the world, as they happen, emphasizing the positive achievements of those who have died. Member, Society of Professional Obituary Writers.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Alberto De Martino
Screenwriter and director -- via Corriere della Sera. One of the great cinematic schlockmeisters, he made B-movies in almost every popular genre of the time -- gladiator films ("Hercules vs. the Giant Warriors"), "macaroni combat" films ("Dirty Heroes"), spaghetti Westerns ("He Who Shoots First"), horror ("Blood Link"), gangster films ("Crime Boss"), and even the hilarious superhero movie "The Pumaman," immortalized by treatment on "Mystery Science Theater 3000." Many of these films were ripoffs of American hits -- "The Antichrist" for "The Exorcist," "Holocaust 2000" for "The Omen," etc. Often cast a Hollywood star or two to punch up the box office -- he worked with Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Donald Pleasence, Telly Savalas, Dorothy Malone, Mel Ferrer, Arthur Kennedy, Martin Balsam, and so forth.
